The Cubs have a new front-line starter and top-tier manager, a slew of elite prospects, and money to spend. The front office has a plan, and the division is in decline. So stop talking about building a future contender, North Siders. The playoff run begins now.

Trailers of the Week: The Grey, Big Miracle, Man on a Ledge

In The Grey, Joe Carnahan’s follow-up to The A-Team, a pack of wolves hunt a group of oil-drilling plane crash survivors in the Alaska tundra. The film is being compared to Jaws or The Edge. Also, it will provide audiences the opportunity to see Liam Neeson punch a wolf.

Big Miracle (February 3, 2012)

The sap dripping off the Big Miracle trailer should be bottled and sold in stores. But the likable cast (headed up by John Krasinski and Drew Barrymore) and story — in the middle of the Cold War, the U.S. and Soviets work together to save a family of whales trapped under frozen ice — could make this a feel-good hit.

Man on a Ledge (January 13, 2012)

The trailer for the Sam Worthington-starring Man on a Ledge is a pleasant surprise. Sure, it contains all the requisite beats — explosions, people screaming into walkie-talkies, and a female cat burglar inexplicably wearing expensive skimpy underwear in the middle of a safe — but the crisp editing and glimpses of the narrative make it hard not to be curious about this thriller.

The Sitter (December 9)

The concept for The Sitter is simple — an Apatovian update on Adventures in Babysitting starring a dude — so instead of focusing on plot, the latest trailer is a swift dose of sweet and sour, as the lullaby music and angelic shots of children are juxtaposed with rhythmic bits of Jonah Hill cracking wise or getting the crap kicked out of him. Oddly effective. Expectations are rising.

Knuckle (TBD)

Knuckle follows rival Irish Traveller clans who partake in the tradition of bare-knuckle fighting to settle scores. The film’s trailer — between the low-res footage, the muddled explanation of the premise, and unintelligible sound bites — unfortunately doesn’t do much to sell the doc.

Jackie Chan puts on his serious-actor suspenders to co-direct and star in this film, about the founding of the Republic of China. Probably no end-credits blooper reel in this one.

Justice (TBD)

Nicolas Cage thrillers seem to pop up like weeds. The trailer for the latest one, Justice sells a traditional thriller, but features some pretty funny “who can emote less” moments between Cage and January Jones.

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (TBD)

The doc Being Elmo is a profile of Kevin Clash, the man responsible for bringing life and a voice to Sesame Street‘s most famous red puppet. Interweaving personal stories from Clash’s life with the history of the Muppets, Being Elmo looks to be a whimsical look at arguably the most important human associated with the Muppets not named Henson or Oz.

Fringe‘s Season Four (FOX, Friday nights at 9 pm)

Tonight marks the start of Fringe‘s fourth season. This promo is an excellent, non-spoilery look at what appears to be the show’s most ambitious outing yet.

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